


Vows

by n7chelle



Series: A Herd of Black Sheep [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Awkwardness, F/M, Missing Scene, Mutual Pining, talking about feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-12 23:04:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16005149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/n7chelle/pseuds/n7chelle
Summary: Athena Trevelyan, flirting level: teenager.





	Vows

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not entirely satisfied with this one, but I'm posting it anyways because this is where it goes and I've done all I can with it for now.

 

Athena gives Commander Rutherford a polite nod as they part ways, willing her face to remain casual until she's fully turned away.

 

_Physical temptations?_  What was she thinking, asking such an obvious question so suddenly. It was an errant thought, the first thing that had sprung to mind at the talk of  _vows_ and  _giving oneself_  and before she could stop herself the words were already spoken. What happened to the Athena Trevelyan that was  _good_ at flirting?

 

Maker have mercy, she'd made the Commander so uncomfortable too. How long can she reasonably put off the next War Council meeting? 

 

A throat clearing loudly draws her attention. Behind the tents, Cassandra catches Athena's eye. Oh, Maker. Of  _course_ the Seeker had overheard them. Reluctantly, Athena trudges back across the snow, catching a glimpse of the Commander through the gap in the tents as she went. He's still right where she left him, studying a report with one of Leliana's scouts.

 

"Trevelyan," Cassandra greets, her brow cocked knowingly. "Would you care to join me for a walk?" 

 

"Why not?" She replies, aiming for casual and hitting overly eager. She hopes her smile wasn't too brittle. 

 

They walk back towards the keep, past Seggrit's table and meander in the direction of the catapults. Cassandra talks of idle things—the constant snowfall, wild nuggs getting into the grain stores, Threnn's laughably serious call for a hunt—until Athena almost relaxes enough to forget why they'd taken this sojourn in the first place. 

 

"Did I hear right, Leliana actually keeps them as pets?" 

 

"It's true!" Cassandra chuckles, "she has a whole litter of them, somewhere in Orlais. I don't know where she calls home, but I would guess that is where they are." 

 

"I can't imagine what she sees in them—all hairless and wrinkly. Eugh."

 

"And speaking of taste..."

 

Athena groans. "I practically walked into that one, didn't I?" 

 

"At the least the Commander certainly has hair. Apparently it is the source of Varric's nickname for him— _Curly_." 

 

Athena sighs. He does have nice hair. And the way those few loose strands refuse to be contained, always flopping over his brow no matter how many times he pushes them back... She sighs again. 

 

"I see it is even worse than I thought," says Cassandra wryly. 

 

Athena tips her gaze away from the Seeker briefly, a hand coming up to rub self-consciously at the back of her neck. "I...probably shouldn't be flirting with a commanding officer, should I?" 

 

Cassandra pins her with a measured, thoughtful look. There's something in her expression that gives Athena pause, almost like wistfulness, before her features smooth back into stern detachment. 

 

"Perhaps it is not the most well-advised course in our current situation. But there is nothing in the Inquisition's charter regarding fraternization. And we are not the Chantry. You are free to do as you please, with  _whomever_ you please."

 

"Well, Madame de Fer already turned me down flat, so..."

 

Cassandra snorts, her mask of austerity shattered. "Trevelyan, no—you didn't!" 

 

"What can I say, I'm attracted to power. Next thing you know I'll be chatting up our qunari friend!" Bull is as friendly as they come, that much she already knows after just a handful of conversations. She could certainly do worse. "At least I know he'd say yes. Probably." Maker, that sounds sad even to her. 

 

"That may be true, but something tells me that is not what you really want." They lapse into silence. The winds whistle fiercely, Penitents' Crossing stretched before them. 

 

"No," Athena admits.

 

"Give the Commander time," Cassandra says, resting a hand on Athena's armored shoulder. "Cullen has seen a great many things since the Fifth Blight, and he is still recovering from them. I think you'll find that your attention is not unwelcome, once he is ready to receive it. And in the meantime," she adds, "there is nothing to stop you from enjoying the view."

 

Athena takes in a deep, bracing breath of cold air. 

 

Cassandra is right. She shouldn't try forcing things—it only gets her into trouble anyways. She can content herself with the lingering glances that have peppered their interactions thus far. He does look adorably handsome with a little blush rising in his cheeks, after all...

 

The next War Council meeting couldn't come soon enough.


End file.
